Respect for institutions depends on the behaviour of the occupants role - President tells political class
On the 50th anniversary since Malta became a republic, Spiteri Debono expressed concern over unethical behavior in public life, speaking of 'incidents of unethical behaviour'
“Respect for institutions depends on the behaviour of the occupant’s role,” President Myriam Spiteri Debono said addressing the political class in her first Republic Day speech as President.
On the 50th anniversary since Malta became a republic, Spiteri Debono expressed concern over unethical behavior in public life, stressing the importance of honesty and integrity among lawmakers and public officials.
“Malta is witnessing incidents of unethical behaviour, at times, behaviour which is not honest and worthy of those whom the populace tasked with its representation,” she said.
The President remarked on the importance of the office of the Standards Commissioner, quipping, “the less work the people’s representatives give the Commissioner for Standards, the more they deserve the title of Honourables.”
She expressed concern over the effectiveness of Parliament’s Standards Committee, noting that decisions by its members are often influenced by party lines, giving the Speaker of the House a deciding vote.
Here, Spiteri Debono, who had served in this role, questioned whether the time has come to consider strengthening the role of the Speaker and Parliament as a whole.
She further referenced the sporadic discussions focusing on whether MPs should work on a full-time basis, stating that there is nothing holding them back from having this discussion in their respective parties or in Parliament.
President Spiteri Debono briefly turned her focus on party financing, stating that “up to the present state, financing of political parties has not yet been examined in depth.”
“I have mentioned these two matters hoping that they can help to decrease certain behaviour which is not only shameful, but also dangerous, since it blurs the strict line of division between the power of money and the power of the people in the governance of the country.”
In her speech, President Spiteri Debono stressed the significance of implementing the recommendations from two major public inquiries in Malta: the Sofia inquiry and the Caruana Galizia inquiry.
The President emphasised the need for the implementation of the recommendations from the Sofia inquiry, commending the progress made under the Justice Ministry, but underscored that the process of implementation must be fully concluded to ensure that the lessons learned from the inquiry lead to lasting reforms.
Similarly, the Caruana Galizia inquiry highlighted the importance of the journalistic profession and its role in holding power to account. Spiteri Debono reiterated the need for continued discussions on the protection of journalists, noting that the work of the Malta Institute of Journalists, which is moving towards becoming a union, could strengthen this vital aspect of democratic governance.
In both cases, the President called for concrete actions to follow the inquiries' findings, stressing that the implementation of their recommendations is crucial for improving the integrity of the justice system and reinforcing press freedom in Malta.
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